PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS REPORT

PEAR

The Preliminary Environmental Analysis Report, also known as the PEAR, is a project-specific scoping document designed to identify potential environmental issues and constraints that will be addressed in the NEPA or CEQA documentation, the risks and assumptions that were used to anticipate those issues, the anticipated level of environmental documentation, and the resources and schedule needed to complete the PA&ED phase. If potential impacts can be clearly expected based on preliminary information.

A PEAR should include the anticipated mitigation measures or other environmental commitments and their estimated costs. The PEAR also includes a best-estimate work plan that is the basis for requesting resources for the PA&ED phase. 

The PEAR makes a critical contribution to the PIR because it provides the initial environmental "look" at a project and its feasible alternatives for programming in the STIP or the SHOPP. When used with a PIR-PDS, the PEAR includes all the information required for a standard PIR except the capital cost estimates.

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To determine the appropriate level of environmental document, make a preliminary determination of whether the project may have a significant effect on the environment. If PIR resources allow, scoping at this stage may involve early consultation with local, regional, state, and federal agencies and interested persons with even a minor stake in a project to identify significant environmental issues and reduce the chance of conflict at critical times later in the project.

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This definition is based on Caltrans definition of the document.